Tuesday, February 14, 2012

My writing troubles and my book got reviewed

My book was reviewed by Shelly at her fantastic book blog. It's posted on >>> Shelly's LGBT Book Review blog <<<in case you would like to take a peek. :))) As writers, I can give you some reasons to do so:

1) Shelly is an amazing book reviewer.

2) Someday you may want to have your own book reviewed (I hear this is a good thing for authors). Also, by visiting her blog, you could maybe open a door to a new market. LGBT people buy and read books. Ayep.

I've been working hard on the sequel to SLIPSTREAM after letting it rest for about four months. I am amazed at all the things that I'm spotting. What makes me roll my eyes is this phenomenon that takes place where I'm reaching for a word or a way to say something, but I don't know that I'm reaching for a word or way to say something.  

EXAMPLE: He gasped for air and tried to catch his breath so that he could convey the message.  BECOMES: Short of breath, he eventually delivered the message.

This isn't an exact example from my book, but it illustrates my point. I was "reaching" for the phrase "short of breath" but couldn't come up with those three words the first time I wrote the sentence.

Anyway...I've been pleased that by distancing myself from my work-in-progress and just reading all winter, I've been able to refocus my mind to get more out of my writing.

Do you ever stumble for words? "He put his key into the odd-shaped hole on the side of the steering wheel"... "Oh you mean...'he put his key into the ignition.'"

Yeah (snapping fingers) "ignition". Exactly. I needed that word it just wasn't coming to mind!

It happens to me all the time.

Have a great Tuesday.

50 comments:

  1. I seriously get hung up on words sometimes, too. Just staring at the screen with a blank slate. Thank goodness for The Synonym Finder. A word that's close but not quite right is good enough to find a suitable alternative. Time to check out this review! :)

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  2. ...yep, I hate when that happens. For this reason alone, I also distance myself from projects throughout the editing process, in order to clear my mind, re-tool the thought process. Normally it works like a charm.

    Will hop over to this review.

    El

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  3. Happens to me all the time, especially as I get older I usually try the thesaurus but that never works. Then suddenly it pops into my head.

    mood

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  4. Nice to meet you. Good luck with the A-Z challenge. I look forward to your posts.

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  5. Sometimes I'll use a place holder for words I can't think of at the moment. I'll highlight it some bright color, so I can easily find it if I scroll through the page.

    I'll go check out that review!

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  6. This happens to me all the time. i'm with TD -- this is where the highlight feature comes in really useful!

    Also, this is why I carry a pen and paper, because whatever it is you're thinking of will usually come to you in the middle of the supermarket.

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  7. Thank God I'm not the only one! So far, I've kept my "word-forgetting-syndrome" to myself so that my family doesn't think I've got the onset of dementia. And, great review.

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  8. A second look usually makes the difference.

    Now if only I could actually finish the sequel I have going, then I could do some editing. :)

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  9. Why yes, yes I DO often get caught in that way. haha. Esp when I'm rushing to finish work, to meet some kind of self-imposed deadline, even just a nightly word count. If I had the luxury of poring over every word for an hour at a time, maybe I'd be more perfect. hahaha

    Good luck with your revisions, and congrats on your review!! I'm going to check that blog out.

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  10. Thanks for the shout out to your book review on my blog Michael. Monday's are always great traffic days since I always do fiction but your book generated even more buzz...and my readers can't even get it yet!

    I know what you mean about writing. I try to get a couple of days ahead on blog posts. I'll get stuck and just leave the best turn of phrase in that I can at the time. When I come back the day the post goes live, I often end up revising something because I realize what words I was actually looking for.

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  11. There's nothing worse when writing than having a word on the tip of your tongue. Every time that happens I think I must be getting senile or something. Wait, what was I talking about?

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  12. I love being able to put something aside and come back to it much later. Such a better perspective you have on it. Ray Bradbury once said a writer should wait a full year before revising. Who has that kind of time? Someone a awesome and prolific as Bradbury, I guess.

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  13. I'm sorry to report that the grasping for words just out of reach of your brain only gets worse as you get older. sigh.

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  14. Congrats on your book getting reviewed. I'll go check it out after this.

    I tend to stumble for words. What can you do, but keep on keeping on...

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  15. Absolutely I can't fight the right phrase or combination of words. I think we all tend to be a little verbose on that first draft and have to do some hacking and refining.

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  16. It happens to me too. Great reasons to visit her blog. Thank you.

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  17. Some people think its easy writing fiction, like all those words spill out of you head neatly onto the pages. But as your post skillfully illustrates, writing is an art form that requires mastering. It's really a lot of work, and a battle to bring your story to market. Have a great week.

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  18. I'm often left wordless. My poor hubby ends up trying to guess what I'm pantomiming. He's really good at figuring out what I'm thinking... when it comes to my writing. : )

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  19. Stumbling for words is a common experience for me. I love your examples. I guess clean and simple is best.

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  20. I'm going to check out your review!

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  21. That's why having good betas on your side make all the difference... it's amazing what another set of eyes can do. ;) "Odd-shaped hole" <--- LOL!

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  22. Nice getting your book reviewed.

    I also have write things one way before I can find the ONE word that means it all.

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  23. I live with the dictionary and thesaurus open on the flat surface that I write on.
    heh

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  24. Congrats on the review! I can definitely relate -- my first drafts are full of phrases I later revise, once I know what I was grasping for at the time.

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  25. If I get stuck for words, I search until I find the write darn word. (The perfectionist in me won't allow me to continue writing otherwise.)
    Good review! Even with the couple issues she had. Now you know what you need to do to make the next one even better.
    And a cliffhanger? That's cruel.

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  26. Yep. Words trip me up constantly. It's really amazing that I've managed to string enough of them together to tell a mostly coherent story.

    LOL, just ask my hubby, I'm always saying, "You know that thing where..."

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  27. I swear it has nothing to do with my age, but this happens to me a lot, especially in verbal communication. I find it to be less of a problem when I'm writing, however, I'm not holding my breath. ;-)

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  28. Hopped over to Shelly's blog and read the review. You're rght, she writes a good review and doesn't mince words. Am looking forward to reading your book when it comes out.

    Sigh....I thought that only happened at my age! I'm among good company. That's why we write and get it all down, and then make the copy clean and crisp

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  29. I get so close to my own writing that even huge bloopers don't pop out at me. Only if I distance myself from my work can I then go back and see what kind of hash I've made of things. And not finding the right word -- that's always a problem.

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  30. Congrats on another great review.

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  31. I have done that SO many times...not being able to think of a word so writing around it :)

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  32. Happens to me all the time. In my case it's called chemo brain. Truth - not a sick joke. Although chemo is in fact a sick joke.

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  33. Verbs come easily enough, but I do get hung up on nouns, especially when they aren't everyday words. My husband can attest that several times per day, I'll ask him something like, "What's that thing that goes under the thing? You know? When you ... ice cream ... oh, cone. Nevermind."

    Congrats on the blog review! Off to read it. Book bloggers ARE the best.

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  34. Great review.....good luck with the book!!!!

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  35. Hate when that happens, but I am all about checking out your book review! Exciting!!!

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  36. I have been trying to get back to looking at the words all jumbled up on paper, imagining all kinds of things. ;)

    Reading is something that helps me get refocused, but after writing it is hard to leave the critic at the door.

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  37. Words are slippery buggers. Sometimes the simplest word can just fly right out of that roundish thing that sits on top of your shoulders... you know, houses the brain.

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  38. Sometimes distance is just the thing for editing.

    ........dhole

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  39. i'm good at that too, mike... using a boatload of words when a few would do...

    grats on the review, and getting back in the saddle :)

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  40. All the time... it must be an overthinking thing...

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  41. That is an awesome first review. :) Take constructive criticism and use it in the future, and enjoy the great comments now. :)

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  42. oh heck yes. It happens to me ALL THE TIME. It's maddening.
    I'm off to check out your review!

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  43. Yep, happens to me all the time. But it's a good thing. It means you're growing.

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  44. I struggle a great deal with that too. And spending time away if a great way to get a better perspective.

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  45. Yeah, I do. It usually comes to me hours later though. :)

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  46. Same thing happens to me. I love when one of my crit partners fixes that crap for me. Words do become a struggle sometimes.

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  47. I'm a bit late to the party but I wanted to chime in here. First, congrats on the good review. I bet you're getting pretty excited as the release date nears?!? :D

    And, heck yeah I have these problems with words. For me, I know it when it's happening (which, unfortunately, is often) and it's like I forgot how to speak or something. I don't have this problem when I'm being normal old me, but for some reason when I'm looking for the perfect way to say something when I'm writing I turn into a dolt. It freaks me out. So yeah, I feel your pain. I feel better knowing it isn't just me, so thanks for sharing this.

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  48. This happens to me all the time. I know there's one word to replace the four I have sitting on the virtual paper. I'll sit there and brainstorm until I find it.

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